


Show Me Where My Armor Ends

by ikerestrella



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - The Little Prince Fusion, Astronaut Even, Even stealing toilet paper in the outer space, M/M, boys planting cardamom on an asteroid, seriously this fic doesn't make any sense, the one with roses and foxes and snakes and baobabs, this is supposed to be a fairy tale but my writing isn't very fairy-talish i'm so sorry, “Little Prince" Isak
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-20 21:48:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9517526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ikerestrella/pseuds/ikerestrella
Summary: "Oh, do you also need tissues?"That's what the trespasser says when he goes home and finds him in the bathroom. He's grasping at least ten tissues in one hand, while the other rubbing up and down his denim jacket. The trespasser raises his head, mouth shaped into a comical "O", and extends the boy his paper-ridden hand.The next second the boy has his shovel pointed at him."Get out of my house."OR: A very loosely-based The Little Prince AU where Even, the cool astronaut who travels around the universe with a self-made spaceship, accidentally lands on a baobab-covered asteroid and—as he definitely does in every parallel universe—steals some toilet paper, and gets caught red-handed by Isak, the sulking blonde boy who lives alone on the little planet.





	1. Astronomy in Reverse

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fairy-tale-gone-wild. The story doesn't make any sense. I know, I beat myself up a lot for it.
> 
> But I'm really tired of any more editing, so I give it up. Let's just hope next time I could write a readable fic.

**BGM: _Venus_ \- Sleeping at Last**

Once upon a time there was a little boy who lived on a tiny planet swarming with baobab trees.

"That's not true!" The little boy exclaims, green eyes slanted and indignant, covered by the blond curls that always look a little too long. He doesn't like this statement at all.

First, the little boy is actually seventeen, so he's not little, thank you very much. Second, he hates his planet being in any way related to baobab trees. Baobabs are evil creatures. Once they take hold, they spread everywhere before you can blink an eye. Their strong roots bore deep into the ground and can split a planet into pieces. Not to mention baobabs are just _ugly_. They remind him of his disastrous hair in the morning, which is even curlier than usual, sticking up every way from his head.

So he hates baobabs, just like he hates anything else on this tiny little planet. The sun never shines from the right angle. The air never feels right in his lungs. He stays in his hut all the time except for attending the baobabs or watering his strawberries.

Another thing he hates about baobabs, and every other creature on this planet, is that they are so many. Baobabs stick together when the boy tries to pluck them out. Roses help each other preen their petals. Foxes swagger by the rose garden in groups. But the boy is always, always alone—alone outdoors shoveling out baobabs, alone in his hut staring at sunsets and sunrises through the square window. He looks into the mirror and sees a face that doesn't look like anything else on this planet. He's the only one of his kind.

So he thought it would be great to meet another face like his, but he swears to god, he's never particularly asked for it to be a trespasser, and a toilet-paper stealer.

"Oh, do you also need tissues?"

That's what the trespasser says when he goes home and finds him in the bathroom. He's grasping at least ten tissues in one hand, while the other rubbing up and down his denim jacket. The trespasser raises his head, mouth shaped into a comical "O", and extends the boy his paper-ridden hand.

The next second the boy has his shovel pointed at him.

"Get out of my house."

"Hey, hey, calm down," The trespasser raises his arms up, "Be careful with that thing, okay?"

"Get out!" The boy thrusts the shovel a few times forward.

The intruder drops his tissues everywhere while stumbling across the bathroom, "Okay, before you jab my eyes out, let me explain," He says, "God, you are really tough, aren't you?"

"Get out of my house."

"Is that the only thing you can say?"

The boy thrusts his shovel with extra force this time.

"Okay, little blond, don't get worked up. I'm just here to get some food."

The boy frowns, "In a bathroom?" Is his kind supposed to eat toilet paper? His heart lurches with anxiety. He's spent seventeen years eating strawberries.

"No, in your hut, strawberry jam," the man laughs, "I just got some on my jacket so I needed to clean."

"You ate my strawberry jam?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

Now the boy is even more furious. If the man could get away with stealing toilet paper, he certainly couldn't with eating his strawberry jam. No one eats his strawberries, not after so much effort he put into dealing with the baobabs to make space for them. He decides driving the man off won't do—What if he comes back and steals again? He needs to make sure he's light years away from his planet.

"What are you doing here on my planet?"

"Great, so we are talking now. How about you put that thing down so we can properly shake hands?"

"I don't want to shake hands with you. I want you to get out of my planet and never come back."

"All right," the man says, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I was aiming for Asteroid B-23 but my spaceship broke down, so I had to land."

"My name is Even, if you're interested."

Of course he's not interested. He'll just have to remember him as the toilet-paper stealer. No, he doesn't have to remember him at all, because soon he will be no more than the stardust drifting in the Milky Way. He looks around. The man is now stuck in a corner, and the boy is the one with a shovel in his hands. So even though the man looks at least a head taller than him, it's hardly an advantage in front of a sharp object. But still, what is he going to do? Tie this man up and starve him to death? Where is he going to find a decent rope now?

"Okay, little blond, am I the only one who finds this silence rather embarrassing?"

"Stop calling me 'little blond'!" He's not little, and he hates his hair.

"So what do you want me to call you?"

"My name's Isak," he quickly adds, "and I don't want you to call me."

"Hello Isak, I'm Even. Nice to meet you," Even flashes a smile at him, wriggling his eyebrows. He stretches out his hand. Isak stares at it, backing away.

Even sighs, "On my planet this is when you say it back and shake my hand, but I guess I'll just do as the Romans do now."

Isak frowns.

"Forget it, that's just a stupid Earth reference," Even says, "I'm really sorry, but I was starving. I was out in space for two days without eating, and as I landed here I saw your hut. I did ask if anyone was in there, but no one answered. So I just walked in."

"Guess it's karma how I got my jacket soaked in strawberry jam, hah?"

Isak takes a look at him. It's true though, he's miserable. There's a huge dark stain on his stomach, strawberry pulp and seeds sticking to the white shirt he's wearing inside. But this is all just a reminder of how he not only ate but _wasted_ his jam.

"You stole my food," Isak toughens up, "And my toilet paper." He sees Even chuckle, and widens his eyes until the taller man gives an apologetic wave. "You need to make up for my loss, then leave this place and never come back." He decides to deal with this like a grown-up, because that's what he almost is, and he really doesn't have a rope to play it the hard way.

"Okay, what do you want from me?" Even looks relieved.

Isak thinks for a moment, lip tuck between his teeth, then, "Help me get rid of the baobabs."

 

 

 

*

Isak sits in front of his hut and watches Even working on the soil ground. The sprawling monstrosity has taken all the space his strawberry sprouts should be thriving in. "This is catastrophe," He thinks to himself. He has just been lazy for two days, and now there isn't even room for his feet. Even nearly trips over a bare root behind him, his slim body teetering, hands grabbing for balance. Isak's slightly disappointed that he didn't just fall like that.

Daytime passes quickly on his planet, and soon it's dark. The plucked-out baobab roots are stacked a few feet from his hut. Even walks towards him.

"I think it's enough now, don't you?" he says, arms akimbo, "Now can I go fixing my spaceship so I can leave as you want?"

"Where's your spaceship?"

"There," Even points to the distance. Isak sees the silhouette of something saucer-like under the dim starlight, "I made it myself." Even's eyebrows do a smug dance.

"And you travel around the universe with it?"

"Yeah. Pretty cool, right?"

Isak wants to ask how he manages to do that, but decides against it.

"Where do you come from?" He asks instead.

"Planet Earth."

"Where is it?"

"It's...uh, how to tell you this...It's closer to the Sun than your planet."

"And you can just _leave_?"

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't there any baobabs?"

"No," Even laughs, "I mean, there _are_ , somewhere off in Africa, maybe. But they are not that life-threatening. Plus, other people can take care of baobabs even if I leave."

"There are other people on Earth?"

"Yeah, like, seven billion of them."

Isak's face darkens. This is so unfair. How can he live on a planet with seven billion of his same kind, and not have to worry about baobabs? Now he hates the man in front of him even more.

Even speaks up when the silence becomes uncomfortable, "And you? Tell me about your planet. What's it called?"

"I don't know. I don't call it."

"Oh right. I'm being silly," Even says, "How many people are there?"

He looks down, "I'm the only one." It comes out more pathetic than he thought, and he hates himself for it.

"You live alone on this planet?" Even's voice softens, like he's concerned, and that's another blow onto Isak's heart. If Even wants to play humane with him, screw him.

"No. There are animals, and many many roses. I'm not alone," he says, offendedly.

"Okay, but you're the only human being?"

Isak looks annoyed, "Didn't I just say it? I'm the only one."

"Hah," Even hums, rounding his lips, "Now that's odd."

"What?"

"If you're the only human being, who are you going to sell all that strawberry jam to?"

"What?"

"I mean, aren't you a jam dealer? There're at least a hundred jars of strawberry jam in your kitchen."

"That's my food," Isak huffs, reminded again of how his food got stolen.

"You have the most unhealthy diet I've ever seen from a human being, Isak," Even says solemnly.

"Why are you still not fixing your spaceship?" Isak glowers.

"Because you are clearly charmed by me and wants to talk to me."

“I'm not! And I don't,” Isak shouts, "Now go and fix your spaceship." He turns and is ready to go inside when he feels a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait. I can't do this alone," he turns around and sees Even's big eyes shining at him, "Help me, so you can get rid of me quicker." He winks.

"No."

"Come on, I was so good with your baobabs back there."

He was. Better than Isak, perhaps. And that's quite hurting since he's spent his whole life plucking baobabs. But Even does have a point about getting him out of here quicker. So he follows.

There isn't much light, so it's a good thing Even has taken a torch. Isak stands beside him while he crouches in front of his spaceship, head tilted, eyebrows attentively locked.

"Hand me a bolt, will you?" Even says, extending a hand, without looking up. Isak does as he's told.

"What's it like...Earth?"

"Earth? Oh it's blue. It's round. It doesn't shine. It's boring."

"But there are people," Isak says, "What are they like?"

"What do you want to know?" Even takes out a screwdriver from his tool kit, giving him an amused look.

"What do they look like?"

"Hmm, it's quite hard to say. They all come in different heights, weights, skin colors, and hairstyles."

Isak thinks for a moment and stutters, "Do, do they have blond hair, too?"

"Yeah."

"Do they have curls?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Do they look as stupid as me?" Isak asks sullenly.

"What?" Even suddenly looks up from the screw he's been fastening, and wipes the sweat off his forehead, "You have problems with your hair?"

"It reminds me of baobabs."

Even looks like he has a hard time restraining a laugh, "Okay, I promise, you don't have to worry about that."

"No?" Isak looks up and feels his face lighten up.

"No. On my planet blond curls are not usually related to baobabs," he stares at him, pointedly at his hair, which makes Isak want to run away, "And trust me, they don't impair your beauty at all."

Isak blushes at that word and swallows hard. That is the word for the sun, for the stars, for the roses, not for him. But Even looks like he doesn't even notice he has said something so ridiculous. He simply turns around, then puts his tools away and stands up. It's not until then that Isak realizes he hasn't helped at all, except for handing him a bolt. And he has been standing there like an idiot and talking about his _hair_ with a toilet-paper stealer. When did he become so ridiculous?

"You want to know what other people look like?" Even takes out a notepad from his pocket, "Come on, I'll show you." Even flops down, leaning against his spaceship, and pats the ground beside him. Isak hesitates a little and sits.

He cranes his head, watching as Even's hand hovers over the notepad, occasionally reaching out for a different colored pencil. Soon a middle-aged woman with fair skin, blue eyes, black hair and straight nose takes shape on the paper.

Even hands the notepad to him, "That's my mom. Beautiful, isn't she?"

Isak looks at the drawing for a second, "She's got blue eyes, too."

Even looks confused, then eyes flashing with realization, "Oh yeah, I inherited them from her."

"You draw well," Isak comments, taking a closer look.

"Really? I thought you'd find it too comical."

"It's very amusing." Isak curls up his lips. The way Even draws is not exactly true to the spirit, but the passionate color and exaggerated twists are pleasant to the eye.

"Do you want me to draw you?" Even asks.

He looks away from Even's expectant eyes, "No."

"Okay," Even says gently, "Maybe another time."

Isak decides this is just a polite gesture, so he doesn't call him out on it. Even has done fixing his ship, and when he takes off, he probably wouldn't even be able to find his planet again among the vast galaxy. And who would want to be on a planet covered with ugly baobabs? Just like Isak doesn't want to be stuck with a grotesquely tall stranger who intruded his house and stole his food, even if he's a great baobab killer.

Even takes off not long after that. When Isak is about to go inside, he finds his drawing still lying on the ground. He picks it up and takes it with him back into his hut, because littering is bad, and this man from Earth clearly doesn't know it. His hand lingers over the dustbin for a prolonged moment. Then he sees the funny twists at the end of every brush, and slips the paper into his drawer.

 

 

 

*

When Even returns the next day, Isak feels like this is the universe trying to play a joke on him. He has just got up, brooding in front of the mirror. The pimple on his forehead definitely wasn't there yesterday. It makes him sad, just looking at the state of himself, his unruly hair that always triumphs over the comb, his arms stubbornly out of place with his body. And now even his skin wouldn't leave him alone. If before yesterday he could still tell himself that it's not his fault, that this is what being human supposed to feel like, he clearly wouldn't be able to now, not after he's seen another human being who's perfectly comfortable in his skin. He's about to dress when he hears a knock on his door, seemingly persistent and eager.

Outside is Even, hands grabbing on the belts of his backpack. Isak stares at him for three long seconds.

"Hello, my dear alien friend," Even tilts his head and winks.

"What are you doing here?" He squeals.

"Uh, after reading my report our scientists decided this planet has habitable conditions, so I'm here to colonize it, and get rid of the original inhabitants," Even deadpans, then rolls his eyes when he sees Isak standing there as numb as a statue, "Of course I'm here to see my friend. Can I come in?"

"No!" Isak blurts out, "You promised you'd leave and never come back."

Even sighs, "You know you can't really stop me, right? My spaceship is functioning, and I can go anywhere I want."

He's got a point, unfortunately. Isak feels weary, even if he's just got up. The thought of having to go through yesterday's drama again makes him want to bury his face into the pillow and never raise up.

"What do you want?" Isak says feebly.

"Does this mean I can come in?"

Isak shifts aside, and Even comes in. He makes a beeline for the kitchen. Isak stands a cautious distance away and watches him taking out a dozen of plates from the cupboard.

“What are you doing?"

"I'm still sorry for stealing your food yesterday, and even more so for you feeding solely on strawberries. I mean, you do know we are omnivores, right?" Even says as he unzips his backpack, and seeing Isak's blank face, "All right, you probably don't. Anyway, I think a change of diet can be good for you."

A while later Isak finds himself goggling at five plates of what Even told him was "cheese toast, Isak, one of the best creation of our species", covered in different sauces. Even cuts the toasts all in two halves, and seeing Isak still gazing like a stupefied goldfish, waves, "Come on, I haven't eaten anything all day just so we could have our meal together."

Even casually takes one piece of toast off the plate and sends it to his mouth, "Why do you look so suspicious?" And before Isak can answer, he shouts, as if something hits him, "Oh my god, I forgot to ask you if you were wheat hypersensitive!" then, striking his forehead, "I guess you'll always miss something hah? Like, I thought I didn't know your taste so I prepared five sauces, but I never thought of checking your food allergies. Anyway, you can have a try now so we can see."

This is ridiculous. Are human beings all supposed to be ridiculous? Is that why Isak is stuck with pimples and stupid hair, because this is his kind of ridiculous? And apparently Even's kind of ridiculous is travelling through the galaxy to have breakfast with someone he barely knows. Isak blinks hard to make sure this is not a dream, and when he opens his eye, the man is still there, chewing on his toast, looking at him expectantly.

"Just give me a chance. Let me make it up to you," Even's voice is verging on pleading, "What I've done yesterday is very rude of a human being, and plucking baobabs isn't even close to compensation. Please, you don't want me to die in shame, do you?" Even winks at him twice, eyebrows drooping, lips pressed into a thin line. His blue eyes somehow look watery. Isak doesn't know how he manages to do that. Is this some trick of his he always uses when he breaks into other people's house and steals their food, and is that why he's still breathing? But seeing him so cheerfully chewing off his toast, at least Isak could be convinced it's not poison. So he picks up a slice, and under Even's encouraging eyes, tries for a bite.

 

 

 

*

"What is _this_?" Isak nearly throws up when he tries the last slice. He stares at the toast in disgust, flipping it over and over, like he's determined to figure out what makes this thing so horrendous.

"Ah, must be that pastiche thing," Even takes the other half from the plate and grimaces after taking the first bite, "Yeah, something's not right there. I think I've added eight sauces on this one, or is it nine?"

"It's horrible!" Isak's still got the aftertaste in his mouth and he doesn't think it's going to go off soon.

"Yeah, I admit," Even says, "Sorry, I got carried away by my artistic creativity when I was making that. Those sauces made a great color, you know. So, what do you think?"

"What?"

"Which one do you like best?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"So I can bring you toasts that won't make you throw up?"

Isak looks up, eye wide open, only to see Even raising his eyebrows at him, smiling like everything is normal. He's always so comfortable, even when he's being extremely ridiculous, and rude, and like he can't understand a word when Isak told him never to be on this planet again.

"You don't need to bring me anything. You've paid enough for my strawberry jam," Isak mutters, looking away.

"But I want to pay for more. Your strawberry jam is the best I've ever tasted."

"I'm not a jam dealer!" Didn't he just tell him this yesterday? Seriously this man has a very terrible understanding of human language for someone who knows how to build a spaceship.

"But you can be. Why not let more people appreciate your jam-making craft?" Even says, "I can pay with cheese toasts, and other foods too—and I can help you with baobabs! How about that for a fair deal?"

Isak can't deny it's a little tempting when Even mentions the baobabs. He does have a knack for that. Isak peeks out of the square window and sees the land around his hut, for the first time in a long time, so free of baobabs. The strawberry sprouts still look weak and drooping, but with all the space around them, they will soon grow strong. The prospect lightens him up, so he looks down at the plates. Even has eaten up all his halves (even that monstrous last one, Isak now really believes he hasn't eaten all day). The remaining pieces are all Isak's. He doesn't eat much in the morning, and Even has told him not to eat an entire piece so he could have a taste of everything.

"What's this one?" Isak points to a plate.

"This?" Even takes the slice up and tries, "It's the one with cardamom. Is this your favorite?"

Isak nods.

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind."


	2. Let There Be Light

**BGM** **: _Sun_ \- Sleeping at Last**

It turns out the little planet Isak lives on has a name—Well, not exactly a name. It's called Asteroid B-21, just like that, a category, a letter, and a number. Apparently there are people on Earth whose job is to give all the planets in the sky a serial number. "But why is Earth called _Earth_?" Isak asked. Even answered that it was because Earth is bigger than his planet, and for these bigger planets, they have specific names. Isak's face dimmed, reminded of the insignificance of his planet. Even told him it was just a stupid Earth thing, and like he said, he didn't even have to call it. Isak felt better, and returned to eating his toast. Later when he was on his bed, he kept thinking about Earth, what it would be like to be around seven billion people. That's unimaginable! There're about five hundred roses on his planet, and when the flowers blossom in all colors, it's at the same time the most beautiful yet daunting scene Isak has ever seen. But now _seven billion_? Isak felt dizzy even thinking of that. He made a mental note to ask Even about it.

But that was yesterday, when Even said he would come back and bring him cardamom toasts. And now the sun has fallen and Even never shows up.

It's not like Isak cares. The deal they made yesterday is hardly even a deal, because no one would be stupid enough to trade anything for his strawberries. Even probably doesn't even remember it. He has made everything up to him, and can continue travelling in the universe, landing on any planet he likes. Bigger ones, more interesting ones, ones with more sunlight and no baobabs. And there will be more interesting creatures with healthier diets and better hair than his. Isak can't blame him for forgetting a promise that hardly matters. He just hates himself for spending a morning making fresh strawberry jam.

He falls asleep feeling sorry for himself. Then, in the dead of the night, a violent knocking stirs him up. He opens the door and sees Even, looking anxious and apologetic.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you were at night," Even says, "Were you sleeping? Is it already very late for you?"

Isak feels his eyelids drooping, "It's midnight."

"God, I'm so sorry. I should've checked."

"It's okay," Isak answers. It must be due to the lack of sleep that his voice is so soft.

This is not a suitable time for toasts, of course. So after Even puts the toasts on his table, they sit at the front of the hut. The night is cold, so he gives Even a blanket. Even must have apologized at least five times for waking him up, and every time Isak says it's fine, until both of them feel a little embarrassed about it. Even promises next time he will make sure he arrives at the right moment. Isak's heart makes a weird jerk when he mentions "next time", but he doesn't say anything. They stay there, occasionally talk, and hear the night wind whistling through the trees, until the dawn breaks, and they go in and eat the toasts.

"Oh," Even suddenly says, still chewing on his toast, "I've got something for you." He reaches for his pocket and hands Isak a piece of paper.

"You said you didn't want me to draw you but...I can't help being inspired."

On the paper is Isak. He can tell at the first glance because of the highly exaggerated green eyes, and the honey blond hair which looks even curlier. But somehow it doesn't look bad, not like when he's looking into the mirror, feeling like his nose has grown on the wrong place. He looks at the drawing and can't help but smile.

"Keep it," Even says, and continues eating like nothing's happened.

 

 

 

*

Things quickly fall into a routine. Even shows up every day, bringing him toasts and some other foods from Earth. Then he gives Even a jar of strawberry jam. Even makes sure he arrives in the morning, about the time Isak gets up. At first Even has breakfast with him, helps him attend the baobabs, and leaves with a jar of jam. Then Isak finds their breakfast time drags longer day by day, and sometimes he forgets to eat because he's too absorbed in Even telling him things about Earth and the human species. When things become difficult for Even to describe with words, he leaves his toast aside and grabs his notepad and pencil, starting to draw. Isak isn't sure with Even's artistic reinvention if things are still what they are, but thinking of how Even manages to draw him as something not entirely hopeless, he would probably prefer Even's version, even if it's not accurate.

Sometimes when Isak is busy in the kitchen making strawberry jam, Even is nowhere to be seen. His spaceship is still there so he knows he's somewhere on his planet. He asks Even about it, and Even says he's just looking around, because this is what he loves doing, exploring different planets. He says he's been around the universe for years, and has seen so many extraordinary things. Then Even starts to tell him stories. There was this jelly-like creature on another planet which could jump as high as it wants. "Even higher than my spaceship could fly," he says. And he once met a man who—like Isak—lived alone, but thought he was the king of the universe who controlled everything, like the sun would rise and fall as he ordered. Turns out he was simply asking things others already would do. There was a planet where everyone laughed when they were sad, and cried when they were happy. Even says it took him two visits to figure that out. He says he has friends on nearly every planet where there're creatures he can communicate with. (And he did try to get acquainted with that jelly-like creature, because "why not, if I could learn its secret, I wouldn't even need a spaceship", but then the creature attacked him with black ink, so it was probably not very sociable.)

He tells him about his life on Earth, too. He has two sisters. He used to raise a cat. Where he lives it's cold, and if you're lucky you can see the Northern lights, something magical that shines in the sky in all colors. He says he prefers the life in space, though. Whenever there's time, he will take off and roam through the galaxy, because that's what makes him feel alive.

"But why? There are so many people on Earth," Isak asks, when they've just finished attending the baobabs and are leaning against the doorframe, face to face, "I wish I could live somewhere like that, so I would never feel alone."

"It's not about people," Even says, "It's about your brain. You can be with hundreds of people and still feel alone. Like, the brain is alone, that sort of feeling."

"The brain is alone, what does it mean?" Isak asks, fluttering his eyelashes.

Even sniffs, "It's like, there's only you and your thoughts, and you can't escape your thoughts. Do you know what I mean?"

"No," Isak admits.

He feels a little embarrassed that he's always too slow, always needing Even to spell things out for him. But Even never seems to mind. He ponders for a moment, looking around, and says, "Okay. Think of it as baobabs. They keep sprawling over the planet, and if there are too many of them, the planet collapses. Now the brain is like the planet, and the thoughts are baobabs."

Isak tries to think of baobabs in his head. It sends a shiver down his spine, "It sounds horrible!"

"Yeah, but you've never thought of that?"

"No!" Isak cries out, genuinely scared. Even looks taken aback. "I'll never think of baobabs in my head. Why did you do that? That's horrible!" He's having vivid mental images with baobab roots protruding out of his eyes and ears, tearing his head into halves. The mere thought of it makes him tremble, so yes, he blames Even for ever planting it in his head, pun intended.

Even doesn't say anything for a while, then sighs, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Now Isak feels guilty for making such a fuss. He steals a glance at Even, who's now looking into the distance. This is one of the moments when Even doesn't look like himself—his cheerful and comfortable self, who praises everything that crosses his path, and draws pictures that overflow with joy and passion. Isak has caught Even like that a few times, when his smile wears off a little, and there's shadow in his eyes that veils the blue. But Isak knows better than to ask. It's not his place to pry.

Sometimes he feels after three weeks, he still knows so little about his Earth friend, while Even has probably known him through and through. He always knows he's not very exciting, but somehow now it frustrates him even more.

"Tell me about your spaceship," Isak says, trying to break the silence.

Then Even smiles and looks cheerful again.

 

 

*

Even is wearing that mysterious look of his the moment he gets off his spaceship. He keeps urging Isak when they're having their breakfast, which annoys Isak a little. He grows to actually enjoy breakfast with Even now, and although they talk a lot every day for the past month, his questions only increase. It's like there's a new world opening up to him. The curiosity of a teenage boy that's long buried in his body is first unearthed, and through that he begins to see the sparkle of life, of being human.

So when Even tells him the third time this morning to hurry up, and brushes off his question about those volcanoes on Earth, Isak rolls his eyes, and tells him to "fuck off". Even looks thunderstruck. He presses his hand against his heart, grimacing in mock grief, mourning for the death of the universe's most innocent boy. Isak kicks his feet under table, and bites off a laugh when he hears Even moan.

After breakfast, Even drags Isak out into the garden. He looks around and leads Isak to a place where there isn't any baobab or strawberry sprout. His shoes keep dragging on the soil, leaving trails that form a square. Isak stands aside and watches him bustling about, feeling at the same time confused and amused.

"What is this?" Isak asks, lips lopsided.

Even looks up with a bright smile, "We're going to grow cardamom."

He takes a bag of seeds out of his pocket, and then they start to loosen the soil. When the soil looks ready, they dig little holes and plant the seeds in them. Even tells him if he wants he can bring him some other plants, too. Flowers, trees, they can make a beautiful garden out of it. Isak listens to all those plant names he's never heard of, and looks at Even's excited and hopeful face. He's suddenly lost for words, only feeling the smile on his face grow sappier by the second.

"You look good when you smile," Even says. The sudden change of topic makes Isak's heart stir, and it's at this moment that Isak realizes he's probably been grinning at Even for the past minute, without saying a word. He looks down, eyes flickering, cheeks burning hot. Even doesn't say anything else, just shoveling soil into the pit, and Isak's grateful for that.

A snake slithers by and stops in front of them, sticking up her head. Even turns around and waves his hand. The snake puts out her tongue for once and walks on.

"What are you doing?" Isak looks at him, eyes wide open.

"I'm saying hello to our snake friend."

"She's not my friend," Isak says in disbelief, "And when did you even know her?"

"I don't. But I guess I have this natural charm which makes everyone my friend."

"No, you don't," Isak scoffs, rolling his eyes.

"I don't? So why are you friends with me again?"

"Who says we're friends?" Isak's voice trails off.

"We're not? Oh, I'm hurt," Even winces, "Did you just talk to me so you could learn how to swear on Earth? Now I feel abused."

Isak bumps his shoulder with his.

 

 

 

*

"So what's between you and Miss. Snake?" Even asks later that day, when they're leaning against the spaceship under the starlight.

Isak takes a long breath, biting his lips, then starts, "Her name's Sana. She's the only snake on the planet. I just think she's...scary. When I was little she once slithered beside me when I was asleep. I opened my eyes and she was there, staring at me. I was so frightened. That's why I'm now...living in a hut."

Even hums, "You never told me about other creatures on your planet."

"Because there's nothing to tell. I don't know anything about them."

Even looks dubious, but doesn't say anything. Isak knows he won't press him into talking about something he doesn't want to, and he could keep playing dumb, but he thinks Even deserves better, so he says, "There are three foxes, too. They are always together. And Sana's good friends with the roses, in the rose garden. That's all I know."

"And you've never talked to them?"

Isak pouts, "They wouldn't want to talk to me."

"Why?"

"Because I'm different. I'm the only human being," Isak's face turns somber, "And I look ridiculous."

Even inhales sharply, "How many times do I have to tell you Isak, you don't look ridiculous at all."

Isak simply stares at him. He didn't expect him to get worked up.

Even sighs and lowers his voice, "Just trust me, okay? I must have seen thousands of faces on Earth, and yours is among the best-looking ones."

"Really?"

"Really," Even laughs, "And considering the only face you've seen other than your own is mine, I could understand why you feel yourself unworthy."

Isak jerks his head around only to see Even grinning at him all teeth, eyes shining like there're stars in them, his hair looking even smoother and softer under the dim light. And Isak admits he's not entirely wrong.

 

 

 

*

Even doesn't come back the next day. Isak allows himself to be disappointed for five seconds before settling himself to sleep. He doesn't sleep well that night, tossing about in bed, glassy eyes rooted on the door. He knows he's being silly. It's just one day.

Even doesn't come back the day after that. Isak can't focus when he's cleaning off the baobabs.

Even hasn't come for five days. Isak sits by the table, eating his breakfast. And for the first time in his life, he feels the strawberry jam too sweet on his tongue that it makes him sick. He begins to doubt whether he's really as good a jam-maker as Even says he is.

In the evening, he takes the two drawings out of his drawer and looks at them. He already forgets why he didn't throw away the one of Even's mom back then. But it's good that he has something to look at now. The bold and vivid color makes the night feel warmer. Then he looks at the drawing of himself. He suddenly realizes Even has drawn it from his memory, after only having seen him twice, and he manages to capture the mole at the corner of his mouth. It's quite good observation, Isak thinks. He just wishes he had noticed earlier, so he could've told him in person.

He looks into the mirror. There're dark circles around his eyes now, two puffy bags sagging down to his cheekbones. Is this one of the best-looking faces to Even? This face, which looks like a strawberry soaked too long in water until it becomes dull and pale? He tries for a smile, because Even has said more than once how he likes his smile. But it doesn't feel right, too stiff at the corners, and it makes his eye bags even bigger. He remembers how Even lavished his praise on him, praise he would never dream of deserving. He realizes he's never done the same for him. Is that why Even stops coming back? Because Isak is such an ingrate who wouldn't even say good things about his friends?

Isak burrows deeper into the blanket, and let the warmth fill him up until he has trouble breathing. This way he could pretend the universe is not that vast, and he's not that alone.

 

 

 

*

He's awakened by a rustle, like something swaying the leaves back and forth. It must've come from those bushes at the back of his hut. He thinks it's the wind, so he doesn't pay attention, just turning over and trying to fall asleep again. But then the rustle becomes too deliberate and rhythmic that no force of nature could've induced it. There must be something—some living thing—scuttling through the bushes. And he can't fall asleep at all as the sound keeps hitting the back of his head. So he gets up, throwing a blanket on his shoulders, and drags himself out of the door.

The moment he comes around the back of his hut, his heart skips a beat. There, in the distance, he sees a saucer-like thing tilting down on the ground, and leaning against it is a man whose figure has grown so familiar to him that even in the dark, he could recognize at the first glance. He clenches his fists and runs towards him, heart pounding in his chest.

"Even?" He shouts. The man hears him and looks up, mouth open.

For a moment he can't decide whether he wants to cry or laugh. He has a thousand questions to ask, but the moment he sees Even's face, his throat tightens.

Even doesn't look happy to see him. In fact, he looks like a deer caught in the headlights, eyes flickering away, mouth twitching. He doesn't even look at Isak when he says, "Hi."

Isak sits down beside him, cautiously, "Why're you here alone?"

"Didn't want to wake you," Even answers, hardly audible. He slouches his shoulders, legs curled up against his stomach. Somehow that makes him look smaller, and Isak isn't used to it.

"What happened?" Isak asks.

"Nothing, I just wanted to find a place to be alone," Even says, then, with a random shrug, "I like the view here."

Isak swallows, turning around so he could watch Even's face more closely. He opens his mouth tentatively, "Even, were you here...in the past two weeks?"

"A few times, probably."

 _And you're just going to stay here, all alone?_ Isak shouts in his mind. _And if I wasn't stirred up by that sound, you were never going to let me know?_ If Even didn't look so downcast, he would be angry with him. He would throw a tantrum. He's a seventeen-year teenager so yeah, he's capable of making a fuss. But right now he just wants to make Even feel better, wants to chase that shadow away from his eyes.

"What happened?" Isak asks, "Is there something I can do?"

"No, Isak, I don't think you can help," Even gives out a bitter laugh. Isak knows he's not of much use, but hearing Even say it out loud still breaks his heart. Then Even continues, "I'm just a little sad, that's all."

Isak's eyes brighten up at the word. _Sad._ He knows _sad_. Despite everything he doesn't understand about the universe, about human beings, about Even, at least he thinks he understands _sad_. _Sad_ has been with him all his life, and particularly so in the past two weeks. _I'll prove you wrong when you said I couldn't help, just you wait._

"Stay there," Isak rises up, dusting off the dirt. He runs into the distance, then turns around and shouts, "Please, don't leave! I'll be right back!"

 

 

 

*

He runs to the rose garden with all his strength.

He has been watching it all his life, but he's never been this close. He's afraid of all those thorns, and he hates being stared at by five hundred pairs of eyes. The moment he steps beside the fence, he feels the air around him thin. The flowers shrink back at the sight of him, thorns sticking up offensively. He realizes there's no way for him to simply pick one up and leave.

"I...I need a rose," He stutters. The roses look around at each other, but still keep away from him.

He braces himself and continues, "Please, could I have a rose? It's urgent."

The flowers don't answer. There is a red rose whose head sticks out from all the others, her leaves stretching out, sheltering those trembling flowers behind. By her side is a white rose who's so close to her that their petals are touching. Beside them a yellow rose and a pink one are snuggling against each other.

Then he hears a hissing sound at his feet. He looks down and sees the snake, winding its way past him. He nearly jumps, but the snake doesn't even look at him, just slithering towards the red rose at the front, circling around her stalk. A minute later the red rose turns her back and patters her petals towards the other flowers hiding behind her.

Then the red rose speaks up, "Take that one." Her leaf points to a flower that is now shaking its red petals towards him.

He takes it, mutters a "thanks", and runs as fast as he can.

 

 

 

*

When he scampers back to the spaceship, out of breath, he's so relieved that Even is still there. He hands the rose to Even as soon as he sees him, and then he realizes he doesn't know what to say.

Even takes the rose, blinking, "What is this?"

"It's a rose," Isak hears his voice tremble.

Even looks at the rose for a few seconds, then puffs out a laugh, " _Why_?"

"You said you're sad," Isak begins to explain, praying to god that his brain won't just break down in the process, "When I'm sad, I want to look at beautiful things. And roses are the most beautiful on my—What's so funny?" He frowns when Even bursts out laughing.

"It's just...on my planet you don't just send other people roses because you want to cheer them up," Even is still laughing, but stops when he looks up and sees Isak's darkened face, "But hey, this is your planet! And I love it, thank you," he says while touching the petals with a fond smile.

Isak sits down beside him. He sees the colors return to Even's face a little, and feels himself overjoyed with pride and relief. Even still doesn't tell him what happened, but he smiles at him now, holding his gaze. The shadow in his eyes is replaced by a soft calmness, and Isak knows he's the one who's put it in them. He makes Even feel better today, and that's to be remembered for a lifetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No I didn't abandon this fic! I just...had a wrong self-judgement when I thought I could update daily. Now that judgement is fixed, so let's stick to every 2/3-day updates :)
> 
> I'm so grateful for everyone who decides to read this story.


	3. Show Me Where My Armor Ends

**BGM: _Pluto_ \- Sleeping at Last**

The first time Even stays over, Isak doesn't even feel bad about shaking him awake while he's snoring on the sofa. This shouldn't even be Even's bedtime, but apparently he has spent too much time on Isak's planet that somehow they share the same schedule. Even keeps pouting and mumbling when Isak drags him out by his sleeve.

"What are we doing?" Even yawns, eyes hardly open.

"We're going to watch the sunrise."

They come to a tree which Isak remembers has been there since he was little. This is the best place to see the sunrise. Isak always comes here when he misses the golden strings on the horizon.

"Jesus, never realize there's a hipster in you."

Isak doesn't know what is a hipster, but from Even's pulled-down lips he doesn't think it's a compliment.

"Come on, the sunrise on my planet is the most beautiful thing," Isak pulls Even's sleeve.

"I thought roses are the most beautiful," Even snorts.

Isak thinks for a moment, "Right now it's the sunrise, because we're going to see it."

They sit down beside the tree, shoulder to shoulder. Even's hair is messier than ever, little tangles around his ears, but Isak decides not to tell him because he secretly enjoys the sight. He wonders if this is what Even looks like every morning, in those short moments before his hair becomes perfect. He wonders whether there're people on Earth, or any other planet, who has the privilege to see him like that daily. The thought somehow makes his heart clench, so he stops thinking.

Soon the sun starts to rise; soft yellow rays at first, peeking in through the white glow between the sky and the ground; then the sun breaks from the horizon, radiating, painting the sky golden. He remembers the first time he saw it, how he marveled at the sight. Then he glances at Even, and sees him so calm. He suddenly realizes how stupid he was. Even, who's been traveling in space for years, has probably seen the sunrise on hundreds of different planets, and this isn't even a decent view in his eyes.

"I wish I could have a spaceship," Isak says sulkily, looking at the sun.

"Why?"

"Because it's cool. I can be anywhere I want," Isak turns his face to Even, straightening up, "Do those people on Earth know you have a spaceship?"

"No," Even says, "I mean, I've probably mentioned it, once or twice, when I'm... Anyway, it's not like they believe everything I say."

"Why?"

"Let's just say I've given them a bad impression."

Isak frowns, "What do you mean, bad impression?"

"Like, I might have said my toes were green, but they checked and found out they weren't green, so now they refuse to believe I'm a space traveller, too."

"That was lame," Isak grimaces.

Even shrugs.

"You can tell them those stories, like the jelly creature, so they'll believe you," Isak says thoughtfully.

Even laughs, "No one would believe my stories."

"But I believe your stories," Isak blurts out.

"I know," Even smiles gently, "Because you're so nice." He ruffles Isak's hair, and it makes Isak feel warm in the face.

"You know, sometimes I wish I could be like you, living somewhere alone," suddenly he hears Even open up, "So I would never have to care about people not believing my stories."

Isak's about to protest that he knows nothing about living alone, but then he sees Even's shadowed face and the fact that Even is muttering those words more to himself than to Isak, in a way that suddenly makes him seem so far away where Isak can't touch or see. It somehow reminds him of what Even said about being alone with his brain, so he bites off what he's initially going to say.

"You could always stay here," he replies instead, "I don't mind you being here." It's the closest thing to a confession Isak's made of actually enjoying Even's company, of wanting Even with him, and in fact, of never wanting Even to leave, but obviously it's still hugely understated and Isak regrets it the second it's out of his mouth. He wishes he had said something stronger. He would have said something stronger if he was someone else, someone like Even who would _drown_ him with admiration when Isak shows the first sign of self-abasement. Isak is still learning. He just wishes he could be quick enough for Even.

"I wish I could stay, too," Even says, looking into the distance, then turning towards him, "You make me so happy, Isak."

 _Then stay_ , Isak wants to say. _It hurts every time you have to leave._ But he couldn't. He's pathetic enough just waiting for Even to knock his door from the first moment he gets out of bed.

"You make me happy too," Isak whispers, and this time it's a confession in the real sense, though it's sort of secondhand.

Even smiles, "And I hope you can always be happy, with or without me."

Somehow Isak doesn't like the way Even says it, but all he can do is manage a smile in response that doesn't even feel right on his face.

 

 

 

*

One day, after they've done watering their cardamoms, Even suggests a walk. It doesn't surprise Isak how Even knows his way around nearly every corner of his planet. He's been here for two months, and recently he seems to spend more time outdoors than in his hut. But when Isak realizes somehow they're at the rose garden, and the roses are waving their petals passionately when seeing them, he frowns at the man beside him with a suspicious look.

Even ignores him. He walks straight to the fence, and kisses one of the roses.

Isak is too stunned to move, "Have you been...befriending my roses behind my back?"

"Really? Your roses?" Even mocks, then bends down to the rose he's holding, "Dear Vilde, tell me, are you Isak's rose?"

The pink rose just leans closer into Even's palm. Even kisses her again and strokes her petals for a while. Isak simply gapes.

"Come on, they want to meet you," Even encourages.

Isak remembers a few weeks ago how the flowers flinched at the sight of him when he came to the fence. But now their thorns are held down, and when Even wraps his hands around their stalks, he doesn't seem to be hurt at all. Isak takes a measured step forward.

He takes a look at the garden. Everyone is craning their stalk to Even's direction, as if they're all striving for his palm. This is crazy, Isak thinks to himself, how did Even manage to bewitch all the roses on his planets? The red rose, who was at the front the night Isak came here, is probably the only one who notices Isak even exists. She's stretching out her petals to him, "Sorry, they're a little busy there. I'm Noora."

Isak pulls his lips for once, a little awkward, "Isak."

"And this is my friend, Eva," Noora reaches out to the white rose beside her, who's craning so hard that Isak's afraid her stalk is going to snap. It takes Noora three pulls for the white rose to finally return to her place. She shakes herself up before speaking, "Hi, Isak. I'm Eva." Isak doesn't know what to say, just trying for a friendly smile.

"Oh my god, is this Isak?" Suddenly he sees a huge yellow flower popping its head from behind, "Oh, he's gorgeous, isn't he?" The yellow flower is flapping both her petals and leaves, and extending her head forward like she's going to throw herself on Isak. Isak can't help but back away.

"He's the most precious thing I've ever seen," the yellow rose coos. This is the first time he's heard a flower coo, and he thinks he'll probably end up having nightmares about it.

"That's what you said about Even the other day, Chris," Noora drawls.

"I know, I can't decide a favorite now. Vilde, help me," Chris's leaf brushes the rose beside her a few times. The pink rose Vilde doesn't even spare her a glance. She's trying to get her way through the colorful crowd to where Even is now stooping down and flipping the rose leaves with his fingertips. Chris looks crestfallen, head tilted, leaves dropping at her sides. At this moment Sana comes over, leaning against the fence. Isak swallows and tries not to shrink back. He's still frightened of the snake, but now with all the roses blossoming around him, and knowing Sana's their friend, he thinks at least she wouldn't hurt him. Sana sticks up her head at Isak, "Hi, _old friend,_ " cold and sarcastic, just like how Isak remembers her. Then she disappears into the garden.

"Sana might look scary sometimes, but she's a great friend." Noora says, when she sees Isak's lips twitching,

"Yeah, like, the best." Eva echoes.

"You should come over more, you and Even," Chris says, "I like your company."

"By company she means a marriage with three babies," Noora leans in.

"Noora!" Chris bumps her head.

"Seriously you have to choose one, Chris," Eva says, "You can't have them both."

"Can't I? Are flowers supposed to be monogamous? Noora?"

They keep bantering back and forth. Isak listens, most of the time unable to follow their jokes, but tries to smile whenever they're talking to him. Then he starts to answer their questions, mostly in monosyllables, but they don't seem to mind and keep trying to involve him in their conversation.

At some point Even has slipped behind him, "See? Easy."

Somehow Isak can't remember why it has seemed so difficult before.

 

 

 

 

*

So it turns out the roses have their admirers. Unlike Isak, who's only appreciated their beauty from afar, the foxes are open about their fascination. The one with the furriest tail is Jonas. He's the best whistler among the three. Whenever they pass by the rose garden, Jonas cocks his head up, showing the well-groomed hair on his neck, and whistles his way along. He doesn't actually look at the roses, just peeking through the corners of his eyes and finding the flower that seems to be the most interested, then the next day his whistle will be just for her. This is something the brown fox Magnus never seems to grasp. He's the one who always rushes towards the fence, pawing randomly in the cluster, only to be hurt by the fierce thorns. Then the pink rose Vilde will draw her petals up and try to hide a chuckle. The gray fox is Mahdi, who makes the most noise when the foxes are alone, but always fidgets and blushes in front of the roses. The foxes never shut up about the roses when they're with Isak, and they have this grudge against Even, who "stole the show with that fucking face of his", that's what they said, but of course they ask Isak never to tell anyone, because being whiny is not cool in the roses' eyes.

The foxes are also very good at handling baobabs. That's why their den is always so clean, and their apple trees can thrive. They come to help Isak with it, and teach him some tips. They say variety is the key, then give Isak some apple tree seeds. They say there're good seeds and bad seeds, and the good can conquer the bad. When the baobab situation gets better in Isak's garden, some roses move to his place, because the seeds of roses are one of the most powerful to hold back the baobabs.

Isak makes up with Sana, too. The incident many years ago is actually a misunderstanding. Back then, Sana was little, and didn't realize snakes could be scary. She was so alone, being the only one of her kind, so she thought she could be friends with the planet's only human being. But she never meant to scare him. Isak also learns that Sana is not originally from this planet. In fact she could be anywhere, by drilling into the ground. She only stays because of the flowers.

Even starts to draw on his drawing board, because he says Isak's garden is now too beautiful for a sketch on the notepad. When the good seeds finally triumph, and baobabs stop appearing completely, they can leisurely sprawl on the porch. Even places the board on his knees, beside him a bag of colored pens. Isak sits by his side, chin clasped in hand, and watches how the flowers and trees come to life under Even's hand.

Sometimes when Even can't make it to his planet, he'll tell Isak in advance, so that Isak won't be waiting. In those days he will go to the foxes' place. They light a fire in front of the den, and Jonas teaches everyone how to whistle properly. When he finds his hut too empty, he grabs his blanket out to sleep beside the rose garden, and lets the soothing fragrance take him into sleep. He always has sweeter dreams around the roses.

When Even tells him he has to be away for half a month, because there's an art competition on Earth, Isak wishes him good luck, and bites down the bitterness in his mouth. This is going to be the longest Isak can't see him, but at least it's better than those two weeks when Even hid himself on his planet, being sad and alone.

Sometimes he's so used to Even being around that he forgets Even has a life, too, a life on Earth, a life in space, a life Isak isn't part of. Then he thinks of his own life, and finds Even everywhere. What was life like before Even? He's not sure he had one.

 

 

 

*

"I think that nose should be closer to his eyes."

Isak jerks around, and sees Noora and Eva nuzzling together, hiding a laugh with their petals. He turns back, blushing, and covers the notepad he's been drawing on. He's leaning against the fence, in front of him a warm fire. The foxes are having fun with the roses tonight, and they invite him to come along. He soon gets bored, because no matter how much he clicks with the foxes, he really doesn't need to know how to make his tail look bigger. Then he takes out the notepad Even gives him, and starts to draw. He didn't even mean to draw him, but it seems to be the first thing that came to his mind, or the last thing that could go away.

Isak feels something tickling his back, and hears Eva's voice, "Are you blushing? Oh my god, you're so cute."

Isak decides if he ever has to hear flowers coo again, he would rather hang himself on an apple tree. He takes a deep breath and turns around, hoping the hotness on his cheeks can go off soon, or the roses suddenly go blind. "It's very rude to look into others' stuff without permission," he says, solemnly.

"Is that a human thing? I'm sorry but we roses don't live by that," Eva droops her petals to show how sorry she is, "We live by love, and wherever there's love, there's us."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh _come_ on, " Eva urges, "You think we don't know you sent him a rose?"

Isak swivels his head, eyes popping out.

"Sana has told us everything, or why did you think we agreed to give you one?" Noora joins in.

"What has Sana got to do with this?" Isak shouts.

"She told us you two were hopeless, 'just spare them a rose so they can stop sulking against the spaceship or in the hut, it's a disgrace to the planet', her words," Noora imitates, then ponders for a second, "I've probably left out her tirade on the stupidity of humankind, but it's not very relevant, so."

He remembers the rustle in the bushes. Looks like he owes Sana a huge favor then, although it still gives him the creeps how the snake seems to see through everything.                                                                                                                        

"I...I just wanted to make him happy, that's all." Isak mumbles.

"Yeah right, because we're blind," Noora scoffs. He can visualize her rolling her eyes.

"Seriously, why are you still not making out?" Eva cuts in, "Vilde's been talking about it all day."

"Like you're not, Eva."

"All right," Eva concedes, "We all are, because, hey, we're roses. We love to see two cuties together."

If Isak wasn't still flustered about the idea of him and Even making out, he would call them out on their objectification. He thinks his face must look like a strawberry, not the soaked pale one, one that's freshly red—or it could look like Noora—because now even the roses start to take pity on him, and stop teasing.

"You can just kiss him, you know," Noora says in a more sincere tone.

"Or you can press him against the wall," Eva leans forward.

"Eva!" Noora pulls her leaf, "Stop, you're scaring him," then she gives Isak, who looks like he's half dead, an apologetic head-tilt.

After a while, as if facing his own death sentence, Isak breathes out, "What do you mean...just kiss him?"

"If you like someone, you kiss them on the lips, and they'll kiss you back if they feel the same," Noora says, "That's what love is, basically."

Isak fidgets, "Really?"

"Of course. We're roses. We know this stuff," Eva and Noora draw their heads together. Isak grabs his notepad and leaves before they can start to coo.

 

 

 

*

The day Even's supposed to return, Isak has been poked at least three times by Jonas when they're picking apples, asking him what's wrong with him being so lost. He has problem canning strawberry jam. The stones on the ground have the tendency to stumble him. The shovel in his hands keeps digging into the wrong place. He has looked into the mirror at least five times during the morning and the noon break. He knows he's ridiculous, but aren't human beings all supposed to be ridiculous? He thinks he's come to terms with it, just like he's come to terms with his tiny but actually-not-so-bad planet, with the baobabs that can still cause trouble once in a while, with the disorderly curls on his head. It takes some getting used to, but he thinks he's okay now.

When Even finally arrives, it's near sunset. He watches him through the window, and sees him walking towards his hut, waving to the rose garden along the way. Even's wearing the same clothes the first day he saw him, that denim jacket, but without the strawberry jam of course. When he opens the door, and has the chance to look at him closely, he sees the dark circles under his eyes and restrains the urge to touch them. Even says the competition has screwed up his rhythm, so now they probably share the same schedule again, and he stays the night. Isak takes out two mattresses, and they lie on the ground under the starlit sky.

Isak elbows Even, looking up at the stars, "When you're in space, have you seen two planets that are the same, or just slightly different from each other?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, there are so many stars out there, so many. They can't be all different, can they?" Isak pauses for a second, tilting up his chin, then continues, "Like, maybe somewhere else in the universe, on another planet, there's also an Isak and an Even, lying there—just like us! Probably the planet's in a different color or something."

"Probably yellow."

"Yellow?" Isak leans back, amused, "Why? Is that your lucky color?"

"I don't even know. It just comes up."

"All right," Isak giggles, "And there will be no baobabs!"

"Definitely no baobabs," Even smirks.

Maybe it's the weariness, maybe it's a trick of the light that somehow makes Even's face look softer, maybe it's that last smirk Even flashes him, maybe the roses do have a point, maybe Isak is more ridiculous than he thinks, and maybe that's why Isak leans over and presses his lips onto Even's.

The world suddenly shrinks. There's just the pounding in his ears, and the softness beneath his lips, otherwise he can't feel anything. And perhaps that's why it's not until Even pushes him away that he realizes he isn't kissing back.

"What are you doing?" Even whispers, holding his shoulders.

"Oh my god, " Isak feels like dying, "oh my god, you don't like me."

"What're you talking about?" Even widens his eyes.

"They say if you like someone, you kiss him on the lips. And he'll kiss back if he returns your feelings."

"Who are _they_?"

"The roses. They say they know these things," Isak returns to his mattress and turns back, curling himself up. He's taken the risk, and it just sinks in that he isn't ready for what he's going to lose. Is it too late to bargain?

"Can we just pretend it didn't happen?" Isak breathes.

"Isak."

"I know. It's okay if you never want to see me again." No it's not, but he's dying so he thinks a lie won't harm.

"Isak," Even grabs his arms and forces him to face him, "Do you not know how much I feel about you? Isn't that obvious? Why do you think I keep coming back to you?"

"But you didn't kiss me back!"

He chances a look at Even, and again, there's that shadow in his eyes. When he speaks, his voice is so soft that it feels like a feather, drifting away, "Isak, I want to kiss you so bad sometimes it's killing me. But I can't."

"Why not? If you like someone, you kiss him on the lips."

"Can we just sleep?"

"No. Tell me why not."

"Isak."

"Tell me!"

He sees Even's chest heaving, and after a while, he swallows, "I'm not normal, Isak. I'm bad for you."

"What do you mean, not normal? And how can you be bad for me? You're the best thing that's ever happened to me." Normally Isak would blush at such a confession. No, normally it wouldn't even come out of his mouth. But now he can't care less.

"Sometimes I'm not right in the head," Even then leans back and puts his palm on his forehead, "God, how can I explain this to you? You won't understand."

"Then make me understand! I want to understand!"

Even doesn't reply, closing his eyes.

"Your head...Is it about those baobabs in it?"

Even just stares.

"If that's the case, I can help you pluck them out. I'm good at attending baobabs now."

"It's not that simple," Even shakes his head, "Can we just sleep? I'm really tired."

"Kiss me," He tilts his chin. He knows he's being childish but he doesn't care.

"Isak, please, I—"

"Kiss me."

Even kisses his forehead. He wants to cry.

He buries his face into Even's neck. The least he could do is let him have this.

 

 

 

*

When Isak wakes up, there's nothing beside him, no Even, and no mattress. He's beginning to think yesterday was all a dream, when he sees there's something tucked under his mattress. It's a note.

 

_Sorry. Have to go. Earth is calling me:)_

_Oh, and when I put the mattress back to your hut, your notepad was spread out on the desk. Please don’t tell me that thing you drew was supposed to be me, or I'd feel sorry for my nose._

_Anyway, I might have taken that page. Hope you don't mind._

_Even._

_P._ _S. It's cute. I love it._

 

 _P. P. S. Take care, okay?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter might take a while, because I'm hugely unsatisfied with my first draft.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who's still reading this story <3


	4. Anywhere You Want

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is much longer than the previous three and I don't even know why. It just happened.

**BGM: _Mercury_ \- Sleeping at Last**

"Is it because I kissed him?" Isak says to his feet.

The roses are quiet on the other side of the fence. Eva keeps shooting glances at Noora, but the red rose doesn't say a word, her petals tilting down at the tip. Vilde wags her head from side to side, then draws her petals in when she senses now is not a proper time for a full blossom.

"Maybe he's busy," Chris speaks up, "Because, you know, _Earth_."

Maybe, but Even won't just disappear for three days without telling him, no matter how busy he is. When he woke up to the note, he told himself it's okay, there's nothing to worry about. The note sounded normal. Even was still the same Even before Isak decided to be an idiot and kissed him. He even commented on his drawing. He even said it was cute, although he probably didn't mean it, because Isak knew how bad his drawing was. And he waited for Even to come back, just as usual. He said he was going to show him his work for the art competition the next day. But now three days have past and he's never seen his spaceship again.

"He said he couldn't kiss me," Isak suddenly looks up at Noora, whose petals tremble at his movement, "He said he wanted to, but he couldn't. What does it mean?"

Noora jerks Eva's leaf, asking for help, but Eva just keeps shaking her head.

"He could at least tell me the truth," Isak bites his lips, tearing up.

He sinks down and buries his face into his knees. The roses look at his shivering back, and don't know what to do.

 

 

 

*

"Is it because I asked him to kiss me back?" Three days later, Isak comes back to the rose garden, "Is it because he found me too childish and wanted to get rid of me?"

"Isak," Noora whispers, "I'm sure Even won't want to get rid of you. "

"I asked him to kiss me back. I pretty much demanded him," Isak breathes in remorse, "Is that a very bad thing to do?"

Eva and Noora look at each other, and give a helpless sigh.

"He didn't even kiss my lips. He just kissed my forehead," Isak whimpers, "I was so stupid."

"Isak," Noora says, "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sure there's some reason for it," Eva says in a soothing voice, "Even won't just disappear like that."

Maybe. But it's been a week.

Isak bites off his tears and leaves, before the roses can see him cry.

 

 

 

*

"You've done nothing wrong, Isak," Jonas puts his paw on Isak's shoulder, when they're sitting on the porch, "Stop beating yourself up for it."

"Why did I even think he would like me back?" Isak stares blankly into the distance, "I scared him away. I did this."

"Isak," Jonas shakes his arm, his furry tail wrapping Isak's waist, "Do you want to come to the den?"

"Does he really hate me that much he can't even look at me?" Isak chokes.

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you, Isak."

A while later, Isak tells Jonas he wants to be alone. He waves Jonas goodbye, and goes into his hut.

 

 

 

*

Then he never comes out of his door.

He stops cleaning baobabs. He stops watering his plants. He stops making strawberry jam. The foxes come to his hut every day, and make sure the plants won't wither, and the baobabs won't start becoming a disaster again. He stays all day in his room, sometimes in his bed. He's never hated himself this much.

Is this what life was like before Even? The emptiness in his stomach, the grayness before his eyes, is this what his life was supposed to be like if Even hadn't broken down his spaceship and strayed onto his planet? It reminds him that Even didn't even choose to be here in the first place. It was just a fluke. Now the fluke is over, and he's back to his misery.

But no, this is not what life was like before Even. Now everything he sees, everything he touches, everything he breathes, reminds him of Even. The sofa is where Even slept and snored. The table is where Even had breakfast with him and told him his space adventures. The chair is where Even sat with his legs crossed and drew him pictures. He looks into the mirror and sees the hair Even touched, the eyes Even looked into, the nose Even says "those people would kill to have", and the lips Even refused. His life will never be the same after him.

He closes his eyes and struggles to breathe.

 

 

 

*

"Are you going to hide in there forever?" There's a voice from his back, "Just like when you were scared by me?" He turns back and sees Sana.

He was out for some fresh air, just stretching his legs which feel like rotting. Thanks to the foxes, his garden is still clean. He remembers how just a few months ago, the garden would become unrecognizable if he didn't clean for two days. The foxes have been so nice to him, but somehow that makes him feel himself more of a wreck.

"I'm not hiding." He can't handle a conversation right now, especially not with Sana, so he quickly pushes the door open.

"He did so much just to get you out of there, you know," He hears Sana's voice when he has already got his one foot across the threshold.

He stops and turns around.

"Just give him some time," Sana inches towards his feet, "He's human, too."

He swallows, and before he can think of anything to say, Sana wriggles around and leaves.

When she's halfway across his garden, she stops and says.

"And don't let other people attend your baobabs for you."

 

 

 

*

The next day, when the foxes come to his garden to clean his baobabs, he grabs up his shovel and joins them.

 

 

 

*

It's late, but the moment Isak hears the knock at his door, he nearly jumps out of bed. The weariness goes off him in an instant.

He jerks the door open, and sees Jonas. He's just about to be swallowed by disappointment when he sees Jonas's paw pointing to the distance. He runs towards the spaceship, but finds no one there. At his feet he sees a piece of paper, and picks it up.

 

_Dear Isak,_

_When you see this letter, I'm gone. Please forgive me for doing this. I don't know what will happen if I get to see you again._

_I'm sorry that night I just left you like that. You kissed me and asked me to kiss you back. I was so messed up I had to run away._

_And I'm sorry I couldn't kiss you back. It would be so unfair to you if I did._

_The thing is, I'm not as good as you think. I don't deserve what you feel about me. I know it's hard to understand, but you're never supposed to. Your life should be roses and strawberries and sunrise, all that simple happiness, and I can't rob that from you. Please, trust me when I say this is for the best._

_I love you, Isak. You should never doubt that. But love is not what the roses said. Love is not just a kiss on the lips. Love could be a spaceship. That’s what I made for you, a spaceship. Go and see the universe. Go and find better people. You don't have to end up with me just because I'm the only one you know. Promise me don't let yourself be alone. Don't let yourself be that heartbreaking little boy the first time I saw you, okay?_

_And maybe you're right. Maybe there's another Isak and Even on another planet, and maybe there we could be together, and I would hold you and kiss your lips. I will keep searching for that planet. And when I find it and see those two, I think I'll say hello._

_Goodbye, my dear alien friend :)_

_Love,_

_Even._

 

His shoulders can't stop shaking, and tears are coursing down his face. Jonas is right beside him, patting his back, and he isn't even embarrassed about crying like a baby in front of his fox friend. He takes a look at the spaceship. It looks new, the metal shell still shining. _That’s what I made for you. A spaceship._ If it was any other time, he would beam at the sight of it. He would revel in the prospect of being able to go anywhere he wants. But not now. Not when Even is sending him this as a goodbye gift. Not when he already knows where he wants to be.

"Does it tell you where he went?" A voice at his feet zips him back to reality, and following it, he sees Sana at his side. The foxes are there too, all of them. Magnus, looking typically clueless, is having a hard time appearing more concerned with Isak than with the spaceship. He's whispering to Mahdi in the stealthiest manner, but never quite manages to keep his voice down.

"No," Isak's voice breaks, "He's saying goodbye." Saying it out loud is reliving the pain, and tears swell up in his eyes again.

"Then you go and find him," Jonas says, "You have a spaceship now."

"How? He could be anywhere." It strikes him again how little he knows about Even, that if Even decides to disappear, Isak will never find his way back to him. Funny how this has never occurred to Isak before, because back then he's somehow convinced that Even would always be there, like he's an integral part of his life. God, he was such an idiot.

Sana breaks the silence, "Then you let him find you."

Isak looks down, "How?"

"Give him a sign. Something that'll make him understand how you feel," Sana says, "Don't tell me you don't have any of that romantic shit between you."

Isak looks at the letter again.

_Maybe there's another Isak and Even on another planet._

_I will keep searching for that planet._

An idea hits him. He's not sure if it works, but right now it's the only thing he can hold on to. Isak turns around, and just like the night when he made Even feel better with a rose, runs to the rose garden with all his strength.

_Yellow. Probably yellow._

 

 

 

*

It's not entirely impossible, the roses tell him, when the silence stretches a little too long. He can do with something more affirmative, but right now this is enough for him to work with. Roses are everywhere in the universe, Noora says.

How many roses do I need to make the planet yellow? Isak asks. This is out of the roses' depth, apparently, but it could be thousands, they say. Currently there're about two hundred yellow roses on this planet, Chris offers. Where can I find more roses? Isak asks. Noora says she knows there're planets where roses are the dominant species. Quite a lot, actually, but she can't locate them in the vast universe. Sana says she has snake friends on nearly every planet, so she can probably help him with that. Jonas suggests that with proper layout they can reduce the quantity of roses needed, and for the first time in his life, Isak feels grateful that his planet is this small. Okay, let's do it, Isak finally says, as firmly as he can manage, pushing the last remaining bit of doubt out of his mind.

So they start. It takes Isak and the foxes a day to get the hang of the spaceship, then the next day Isak takes off with Jonas, searching for yellow roses in the universe according to Sana's intelligences. Some of Sana's snake friends come to his planet, too, just to help them loosen the soil so that they can plant the flowers straight in when they return.

In the past five days, Isak has been to all his neighboring planets. He's surprised to learn that he's far from the only human being who lives alone on a planet. There's a man with a hat who Isak has to praise—in exchange for his yellow roses—as "the handsomest, the best-dressed, the richest, and the most intelligent man on his planet", even if he's the only one there. There's a drunkard who's so ashamed of drinking that he drinks to forget his shame. When they ask him if they can have his roses, he's so cheerfully drunk that he offers to help them pick. There's a businessman who barely raises his head when they arrive, and still doesn't when they leave with an entire basket of roses. They meet the self-proclaimed king who thinks he's in control of the universe, too. And the jelly-like creature, who's really unsociable, and starts spraying ink at them before they get to take a closer look at the rose garden there.

The next planet they see is the most beautiful among all, and the vastest, but the old man on the planet never turns his eyes away from his voluminous books to enjoy the scenery around him. Turns out he's a geographer, who keeps records of the mountains, rivers, oceans, and deserts on every planet. He asks enthusiastic questions about Isak's planet at first, but soon gets disappointed when he learns the tininess of it. Isak feels hurt that his planet gets dismissed like that, face turning bleak.

"Do you happen to know any planet where there're many yellow roses?" He hears Jonas's polite voice breaking the silence.

"Oh, we don't record flowers," the geographer shrugs it off.

"Why not?"

"Because they're insignificant. We only record things that are grand and important, like mountains and oceans. Flowers are just useless."

Bullshit, Isak wants to say, flowers are beautiful, nice, and the best friends ever. Isak has known enough roses to make that comment, but before he can open his mouth to defend his friends in front of the bigoted geographer, Jonas winks at him, and following his glance Isak sees a large rose farm in the distance behind the geographer's desk. Great, it might come in handy that he never records flowers, or respects them, because he probably won't even notice if his farm gets properly robbed. Isak only feels slightly guilty when they leave with five hundred yellow roses.

It takes them two weeks to complete the view. "Do you think it's yellow enough?" Isak asks Jonas, when they're in space, gauging their planet from afar.

"Uh, not strictly, " Jonas grimaces, "But if someone puts a knife on my neck and asks me to tell one single color of the planet, then yeah, yellow is what I'll go with."

"Okay," Isak stares at his planet, which was brown and bare two weeks ago when Isak looked back on his first space trip, and is now in a shade of near-white yellow. "Okay," He says again, as if convincing himself.

"So what are we doing now?" Jonas asks.

All the stress, fear and uncertainties that Isak has ditched at the back of his mind suddenly rush in, making him breathless. It was easier to just bustle about, having no time to stop, having no time to reconsider whether it would all end in vain. But now it's time for the reality to hit, as it's bound to.

"We wait," Isak says.

This is what Isak has been doing from the start, waiting for Even to come knock his door, hoping he will come, and spending his days moping around when he doesn't. He's so tired of all this. If Even comes this time, Isak thinks to himself with a determination he's never had before, he'll make sure he never lets himself wait again.

 

 

 

*

When Even does return, it's one week later. Isak's leaning against a tree that night, trying to focus on Magnus talking about how he can swear Vilde's gaze has finally lingered a little longer on him this morning. He turns his head towards the sky when the noise around him becomes too much to handle. He feels guilty that these days he's always the one who brings down everyone's energy. But Sana's right, he can't go back to rotting in his hut again. That's life before Even, and he can do so much better than that.

He's still debating whether it's too selfish of him to dump his gloominess on his fox friends, when he sees Even's spaceship hover over the yellow flowers wavering in the night breeze. He staggers up, grapping the tree trunk behind him for support. And before he knows it, his feet are dragging his wasted body forward like they have taken wings.

Even's standing there, amidst an ocean of yellow roses. In one of Isak's dreams this is when Even would run towards him, and Isak could just stand there and wait for Even to take him into the future he longs for. All the unsolved issues between them would disappear the second their lips touch. But now Isak has done living dreams, and in reality he's the one who does the running, when Even's still rooted where he is, arms stiff at his sides. When Isak gets close enough to drink him in, Even looks starkly shocked, eyes drifting between Isak and all the roses surrounding them. Even opens his mouth a few times, only to close it again. Isak isn't sure if he does have something to say or he's just sucking for air.

"What happened to your planet?" Even finally manages out, after they've been standing in silence for too long.

"You should say hello."

"What?" Even frowns.

"You said when you met them, you'd say hello," Isak says, catching Even's eyes.

Even's face looks blank for a second, then turns away. "Isak," he puffs a laugh. Isak knows too well about Even's laughs now and this is not one he likes. This is the laugh Even gives out after biting off a thousand things he wanted to say but thought Isak was too stupid to understand. This is the laugh when Even wants to shut Isak out, but this time Isak won't let him.

Isak takes a closer look at him. His dark circles have grown even worse than when he last saw him, and the usual sparkle has gone out of his eyes, leaving the two pits hollow and lifeless.

"You look terrible," Isak can't help but breathe out, "When did you last sleep?"

"Things haven't been great," Even says, looking at anywhere but Isak, "God, how did you get all those roses?"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you in the morning."

Even stirs and sighs, "Isak, you know I can't—"

“Please. Stay," Isak pleads, breathing hard. He can't let Even go, not again. He would vandalize his spaceship if that's what it takes. He would seize his feet and ask the foxes to tie him up. The love of his life is leaving and he doesn't care a thing about human dignity. After he's flipped through all the worst scenarios, he tries for a concession, "At least get some sleep first."

Isak looks at Even so intensely, as if his eyes are boring holes in him, as if the sheer force of his stare could freeze him and keep him there forever. It works, though, to some degree, because this is the longest Even has held his gaze since he's arrived.

After a while, Even looks away. "This is ridiculous," his eyes drop at a cluster of roses beside his feet. "Yellow isn't even my lucky color, " Even laughs, and it's the kind of laugh that's tinged with familiarity and hope. It's the kind of laugh Isak likes.

Isak lets out the breath he didn't realize he was holding and smiles.

 

 

 

*

When Even makes for the sofa where he usually sleeps when he stays over, Isak pulls him back by grabbing his hand, and leads him into his bedroom. Even's hand is bigger than his, but it's so cold and Isak just wants to wrap it as tightly as possible.

Isak fidgets beside his bed where Even is now lying.

"Do you want me to," he points to the living room.

Even just pulls the blanket open, looking at him, so Isak slides in.

Though it's dark, Isak has never seen Even so clearly. The shape of his mouth, the curve of his chin, the freckles on the bridge of his nose, every time he breathes in and out, every time his tongue sticks out to lick his lips—Isak has seen all of this, of course, has committed it to his memory even. But from this distance, everything feels new and dangerously familiar at the same time, and suddenly it's too much for him to take in.

"I miss you," Isak chokes, tears swelling up in his eyes. Within a few seconds he begins to weep, shaky sobs escaping his mouth.

Even leans closer. His eyes are dazed but the fondness is clear enough there. He stretches out his left hand and cups Isak's face, thumb stroking under his eyes, wiping his tears away. Isak gently grabs that hand and moves it to his mouth, kissing the back of it, then the palm, then everywhere at once. His tears are dropping on Even's hand and he kisses all of them away, feeling the taste of his tears and Even mingle in his mouth. Even doesn't say anything, just looking at him when Isak buries his face into Even's hand, keeping it between his head and the pillow like it's a lifeline he holds on to.

It's not good, Isak knows. This is the first day he decides to be strong for Even, and he ends up crying into his palm. But it's just one day. He'll start to get better tomorrow. He'll start to get better now.

So he cracks a smile at Even, and hopes it looks strong enough.

"Sleep," he says against Even's palm.

Even closes his eyes.

 

 

*

Isak spends the whole night watching Even sleep, because he's sharply aware that Even has never promised he'll stay, and he could wake up and leave anytime during the night. But honestly, he could spend every hour of his day watching Even doing whatever, under any circumstance. He's never going to get enough of him.

When Even wakes up, Isak knows what it is the second he opens his eyes. Even panics. He curses himself for allowing himself to stay yesterday, for even stepping on Isak's planet again. Isak grabs his shoulders and pats his back, until Even calms down under his touch and settles back onto the pillow.

Finally, Isak ventures that inevitable question, the question Isak knows too little about to even ask properly, the question that could take a thousand forms— _Why did you leave? Why couldn't you kiss me back? Why did you say you're not normal?_ —but none of them really hit home because Even never lets them. And when Even throws him a third "You won't understand" and turns his back towards him, Isak's eyes start to rim red.

"At least you can let me try!" His voice breaks, "Please. I know I'm stupid. I know I'm quite useless—"

Even abruptly turns around, "If I ever hear you say that shit about yourself again, Isak, I swear—”

"Just let me finish!" Isak shouts. Seriously how does Even think he's the one who gets to be angry here? Isak takes a deep breath, and when he opens his mouth again his voice is low but stable, "I know you think I'm still a child, and yes, probably I am, but I'll grow up. I'll grow up for you if you need me to. Just, don't shut me out like that, please," he stops to take another breath, as if the words are suffocating him, "I don't want to live without you."

He doesn't know what finally does the trick. It could be the tremble in his voice, or his eyes that must be tearing up again, or Even is just too tired to argue and decides to humor Isak for once, but no matter what, Even starts to actually explain, and Isak listens, trying to remember his every word.

Even tells him he has days when he's too happy and days when he's too sad, and when he's too happy he does things that are considered the craziest shit on Earth, and when he's sad he can't even make it out of bed. He tells him that night when Isak found him alone on the planet, he was sad. But before that he had been so happy that he ran out on the street naked, and that's considered extremely inappropriate on his planet. Isak asks him if he's sad now, and Even nods.

"Okay," Isak thinks for a moment and says slowly, "So you'll sleep a lot, right?"

Even nods.

"Then I'll bring food in so you can eat in bed, is that okay?"

Even just stares at him, but the fact he doesn't protest or move says enough.

"Now you can sleep," Isak whispers, and before Even can say anything, Isak reaches for his stunned face and grins so brightly at him like a kid looking at his hard-earned reward, "I'm going to look after you."

 

 

 

*

The only two kinds of food Isak can actually make out of the remaining ingredients Even brought from Earth are strawberry pancakes and apple pancakes. But it's not like Isak knows any other recipe even if there were thousands of food materials for him to choose from, and it's not like Even eats enough every day to get tired of the diet. Sometimes Even can't make half as much as what Isak remembers he normally eats. Sometimes he frowns at the plate and tells Isak he isn't really hungry. Sometimes he buries his face under the covers and Isak can't even get to see him when he brings food in.

Of course Isak has expected it. Even has told him how he'll behave when he's like this. But of course Isak still gets worried. Isak has never slept that long in his entire life, and knowing Even's appetite, he can't imagine how badly Even's body is working that he eats this little. At night, Isak looks at Even's sleeping face, and sees his brows furrow so hard even in his dreams. Isak wonders what he's dreaming. Are those baobabs in his head bothering him again? Can Isak pluck them out for him? It occurs to Isak that Even has never shown his baobabs to him. He always gives Isak the brightest of himself. He's always the sun. It makes Isak's heart ache, thinking how Even gets through days like this all on his own, so he puts his hand on Even's face, touching it as gently as not to wake him, but enough to give Isak strength and comfort.

When days are really bad, Even just wants to leave again. Isak lies in bed with him and strokes his back up and down.

"It won't work," He hears Even's muffled voice, "I'll hurt you. I know I will."

"No, you don't," Isak tries to say as calmly as possible, "No one knows that."

Even turns to face him, "You think I don't know how little sleep you're getting recently? You think I don't know why you burned your pancakes the other day? Because you dozed off at the table after, like, three minutes. That's what I did to you. That's how I'm already hurting you. And believe me, it can get far worse than burning your pancakes."

"That's just me being a bad cook," Isak dodges. "And I'm not hurting. I'm _not_."

"Isak, I mean it," Even pants. "I know for the moment you probably think you want me, but trust me, you don't. Hell, this is all a trick. I've tricked you into feeling this way about me. You don't even know other people, _normal_ people, and I'm not one of them—"

"Stop saying that!" Isak cries out. He's never been this angry. "Listen, I don't care about normal, and you're right, I don't know normal, but I don't need to. As far as I know, that's just how your people call it, just like they call my planet Asteroid B-21—a fucking number. But still this is my planet and their thinking it's too tiny to have a proper name doesn't change anything for me."

Even looks stunned. "You were not so fond of your planet back then, you know," he finally coughs.

"I know. Because I was silly. Because I thought my planet was insignificant, and I hated the baobabs. But now I understand— _You_ helped me understand. This is just what my planet is. I love the roses. I love the sunrise. And I deal with the baobabs. And now you're being silly too. There is no _normal_. That's just a made-up thing. There's just _you_. Good or bad, it's all _you_. And I want _you_. That means I'll accept all of that. And you should, too."

Even looks at him and swallows, dumbfounded, nose flushed, He doesn't twitch when Isak's arm wraps around his neck and drags him closer.

"Now will you _please_ kiss me?" Isak says, then quickly adds, "On my lips."

Even kisses his lips, and Isak kisses back.

 

 

 

*

Once they start, they don't stop.

Every day, Even wakes up to Isak's lips. At first it's just little pecks on the cheeks, then it moves on to the lips, until the kisses become open-mouthed. The little lines between Even's eyebrows become fewer, until one day Even starts to smile at him, the smile that feels like roses, like strawberry jam, like sunrise, like home.

The foxes appear at Isak's door in turns, bringing him fruits and some fancy fox food which Isak doesn't always find tasty but keeps anyway. Roses send their love, too, by putting a bunch of freshly-picked flowers in the foxes' fruit basket. Magnus is extremely active about this delivery, and from the number of pink roses Isak always receives from him, he's a little suspicious that Magnus's only doing it to impress Vilde, but he doesn't call him out on it.

When Isak opens his eyes that day, he finds Even already awake, looking at him.

"Good morning," Even smiles.

"Good morning," he mumbles, still half-dreaming, "How long have you been awake?" He rubs his eyes.

"A while," Even tousles his hair, "You're cute when you're asleep." Even's hand is at the back of Isak's head, his arm wrapping Isak's shoulders, and all Isak can manage to do is lean closer into Even's embrace, and bury his face into his neck.

"Wow, are you going to sleep again?" Even's breath is warm on him, "What happened to that angel who rose early to make me in-bed breakfast for the past week?"

"He's still sleeping somewhere. I'm going back to find him," Isak practically whines against Even's neck and he isn't even ashamed of it.

"Oh, help me, this is not what I've signed up for," Even groans, only to pull him closer, and then whispers into Isak's ear in a husky voice, "Will one kiss awaken my cute breakfast-making boyfriend?"

"You can try," Isak burrows deeper into Even's shirt to hide his laugh.

Apparently one kiss won't wake up that said boyfriend, nor will two, nor five, nor ten, because the next thing Isak's conscious of is the sunlight dazzling his eyes and the smell of freshly-cooked pancakes wafting into his nose.

"God, how long have I been sleeping?" Isak sees Even sitting by his side, looking down at him. He hasn't got this much sleep since Even arrived, and he didn't even realize he needed it.

"It's noon," Even says, leaning down and pressing his mouth onto his ears, "I made you pancakes. I mean, _real_ pancakes, not that flour-strawberry mixture you kept feeding me."

Isak kicks him under the blanket until Even apologizes, a radiant smile on his face.

 

 

 

*

After lunch, they take a walk to the rose garden—no, there's technically no rose garden now. The fence has been removed, since what's the point of putting it there when there're roses on both sides of it, when there're roses everywhere on the planet? Even kisses the roses along the way, fingers flipping through their tender leaves. Isak tries to kiss them, too, and when his lips touch the flowers, their fragrance embraces him, and their petals shiver against his mouth, making him feel tickly and fond at once.

Then Even kisses Isak, right there in front of the roses, since, let's face it, whatever they do, wherever they are, it's all technically _in front of the roses_. And it's not exactly the worst thing Isak can imagine, being kissed by your boyfriend among a sea of beautiful flowers, though the cooing still makes him sick. He guesses he'll just have to get used to that now. That's the downside of living with thousands of roses on your planet, but at least apart from that, everything else is exactly how Isak wants it to be.

There're even more yellow roses now, because Even says his artistic instinct won't leave him alone, seeing all those ugly brown spots scattered in the yellowness when he's watching Isak's planet in space, so he plants more roses to make sure the planet is in a perfect shade of light yellow.

One day, the old geographer wakes up and raises his head from the voluminous books he conveniently uses as his pillow, starting to work. As usual, he browses through the newly-received reports from the explorers who go out to count the mountains, rivers, oceans, and deserts on every planet for him. There's a report about a planet he's never heard of. The report says the planet has no oceans or mountains—it's too tiny for those things—and its living conditions are terrible, as the baobabs trees there barely leave other creatures space or air to live with. But recently there's something odd about it. There aren't any baobabs anymore. Instead, there're roses, thousands of them, mostly yellow, but in other colors too if you look closely. And if you watch it from afar, the planet is entirely yellow, as if it's glowing.

"It's kind of beautiful," the report says in the end, "Might be worth recording."

The geographer frowns. No way he's going to record flowers. Flowers are tiny and useless—But what do flowers look like anyway? He hasn't looked at anything but books for a long time, so the image sort of blurs in his mind. He vaguely remembers there's a rose farm on his planet. Behind his desk, if he recalls correctly. So he turns around, and there it is. The roses look dry and withered, their petals crumpled at the tip. There are some dead flowers lying on the ground, scattered everywhere, making the farm look messy and pitiful. And there's one corner at the far end which is abruptly empty. The soil looks like it's been turned recently. He remembers there should be roses too, but who knows, he could be wrong. It's not like he's counted all the roses on his planet.

The geographer looks at the report again, and shakes his head. Flowers? Beautiful?

What a funny story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I basically rewrote this chapter in the past two days, and it turns out to be nearly twice as long as my first draft. I've changed quite a lot of it actually. In the original version, Even decides to leave Earth forever and finds a planet to live alone (which is yellow, because I'm lame), and Isak finds him (don't ask me how, told you this fic didn't make sense...), but then I don't know what happened to me but KISSING AMONG FLOWERS IS ROMANTIC OKAY? 
> 
> Anyway, it's over now. Hope this little fairy tale made you smile.


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